Syringa plant named ‘SMNSHSO’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Syringa  plant named ‘SMNSHSO’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with fragrant light violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Syringa x hyacinthaflora.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNSHSO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Syringa plant, commonly referred to as Lilac, botanically known as Syringa x hyacinthaflora and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNSHSO’.

The new Syringa plant is plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Syringa plants with unique flower colors.

The new Syringa plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary unnamed selection of Syringa x hyacinthaflora, not patented. The new Syringa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. in 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Syringa plant by softwood to semi-hardwood cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Syringa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Syringa have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNSHSO’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNSHSO’ as a new and distinct Syringa plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and         mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large inflorescences with fragrant light violet-colored         flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Syringa can be compared to plants of the mutation parent. Plants of the new Syringa differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent primarily in growth habit as plants of the new Syringa are more compact and smaller than plants of the mutation parent.

Plants of the new Syringa can be compared to plants of the Syringa hybrida ‘Penda’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,575. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Syringa differ primarily from plants of ‘Penda’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Syringa are more compact and shorter than         plants of ‘Penda’.     -   2. Plants of the new Syringa have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Penda’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Syringa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Syringa plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a flowering typical plant of ‘SMNSHSO’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering typical plant of ‘SMNSHSO’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the following description were grown during the spring in three-gallon containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Syringa production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants of the new Syringa were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Syringa x hyacinthaflora ‘SMNSHSO’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     unnamed selection of Syringa x hyacinthaflora, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20 days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures about 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively             compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant             habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, about 20 lateral             branches develop per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 70 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 65 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect to about 45° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 199C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             N199D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B;             venation, close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 143C; venation, close to 145A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to N144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single salverform             flowers arranged in terminal panicles; freely flowering             habit with usually about 75 to 100 flowers developing per             inflorescence; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Syringa flower during the spring in Michigan; flowers             not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; fragrance sweet and             pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 1 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to N79D.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Single whorl of four             petals; lower portion of petals fused forming a narrow tube.             Lobe length: About 9 mm. Lobe width: About 5 mm. Lobe shape:             Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, silky. Texture, throat and             tube: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to N80C. When opening, lower surface: Close to N80B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 85A; color does not             fade with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             85C; color does not fade with development. Throat: Close to             85C. Tube: Close to N88C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Single whorl of four small             sepals; fused towards the base forming a campanulate-shaped             calyx. Length: About 1 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape:             Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 181C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° to 90° from             the stem axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             143A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle axis.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: Two. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color:             Close to 201A. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 201A. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 1A. Gynoecium: Quantity of             pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155A. Stigma             shape: Oblong to rounded. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Seeds             and fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Syringa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Syringa have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −32° C. to about 36° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Syringa have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Syringa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Syringa plant named ‘SMNSHSO’ as illustrated and described. 